can someone tell me whether installed on a virtual machine (like virtualbox for example) Windows is prone to viruses as much as a normal Windows installation? Or is there no such threat for a Windows OS installed this way. If it isn't, what's the explanation for this?

Last edited by monere on Mon Jan 28, 2013 3:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

Many virtualization solutions offer snapshots that make it easy to backup or freeze a system image at any time. If disk space is an issue, you may compress these backup images.

Bottom line: It's faster and easier to restore a VM. And if your hardware crashes or you want to migrate to a new PC, you can quite easily take your VM to that new hardware (without the need for a new Windows installation).

Many virtualization solutions offer snapshots that make it easy to backup or freeze a system image at any time. If disk space is an issue, you may compress these backup images.

Bottom line: It's faster and easier to restore a VM. And if your hardware crashes or you want to migrate to a new PC, you can quite easily take your VM to that new hardware (without the need for a new Windows installation).

can someone tell me whether installed on a virtual machine (like virtualbox for example) Windows is prone to viruses as much as a normal Windows installation? Or is there no such threat for a Windows OS installed this way. If it isn't, what's the explanation for this?

After researching active virus sites last year my conclusion is that you are virtually immune to modern malware when running in a virtual box. All the so called "Fully Undetectable" (FUD) trojans and viruses that I found out there detected that they are running in a virtual box and obligingly deleted themselves. The ones that didn't were not FUD and easily removed with Microsoft's Security essentials.

However, be very wary of sharing files with the host machine because once you leave the virtual environment said viruses are less obliging

p.s. another thing to do is remove all forms of Java if you don't need it: Most infections got in via Java security deficiencies and drive-by.

can someone tell me whether installed on a virtual machine (like virtualbox for example) Windows is prone to viruses as much as a normal Windows installation? Or is there no such threat for a Windows OS installed this way. If it isn't, what's the explanation for this?

After researching active virus sites last year my conclusion is that you are virtually immune to modern malware when running in a virtual box. All the so called "Fully Undetectable" (FUD) trojans and viruses that I found out there detected that they are running in a virtual box and obligingly deleted themselves. The ones that didn't were not FUD and easily removed with Microsoft's Security essentials.

However, be very wary of sharing files with the host machine because once you leave the virtual environment said viruses are less obliging

p.s. another thing to do is remove all forms of Java if you don't need it: Most infections got in via Java security deficiencies and drive-by.

Well, I don't think I will ever remove java since it's needed by so many things. I will keep these tips in mind though.

monere wrote:I don't think I will ever remove java since it's needed by so many things.

you will surprised how useless java is really (unless you have a specific site that relies on it)java is not javascript just do a small test: go to the plugins page of the browser you're using and disable java, now use your browser as usual for some time: did you miss it? did the lack of the java plugin broke your internet experience?

monere wrote:I don't think I will ever remove java since it's needed by so many things.

you will surprised how useless java is really (unless you have a specific site that relies on it)java is not javascript just do a small test: go to the plugins page of the browser you're using and disable java, now use your browser as usual for some time: did you miss it? did the lack of the java plugin broke your internet experience?

uhm, I'm assuming you're talking about disabling java in Linux. Cause right now I am in Windows watching some online football and it needs Java to run (or is it flash player??)